Album Review: Lady Revel — 'Slow Burn'

Lady Revel has matured but will never grow old. With their sophomore album Slow Burn, the self-proclaimed Midwestern indie rock band trades the open-hearted urgency of their 2023 debut for something wiser, softer and more emotionally nuanced. It’s the kind of record that doesn’t ask for attention but earns it, layer by layer. With 11 thoughtfully composed tracks, Slow Burn is a gentle triumph: sweet, snappy, sometimes heartbreaking, but always relatable.

This isn’t an album that tries to outdo its predecessor — it stands beside it like an older sibling, offering quiet wisdom and steady warmth. While their debut leaned into the effervescent indie hooks and youthful immediacy, Slow Burn pulls back the curtain on the band’s emotional landscape. Lady Revel’s bio says it is “a place to be in love and to break up, to laugh and to cry about, to believe and to doubt, and above all, to belong.” That description rings true.

The album opens with “Dance Moves,” a melodic tune that blends heartfelt vocals with love-soaked lines. The title track “Slow Burn” is Lady Revel at its best. It is sweet and simple, with washy textures and twangy guitar. The lyrics “I couldn’t face it until I faced myself” echo the personal-growth theme that weaves through the entire record. It’s introspective, but manages not to be too heavy, making the album easy listening.

“I’d Rather Die” is a standout track, with its infectious energy and love-sick lyrics. Despite the emotional weight of lines like, “I’d rather die than break your heart,” it’s hard not to dance to the upbeat instrumentation and catchy vocals. It’s classic Lady Revel: bright on the surface, aching underneath.

“Millennial Dirtbag” is an obvious, yet original, ode to Wheatus’s “Teenage Dirtbag.” It’s moody — an aged-up homage to adolescent angst, delivered with tongue-in-cheek humor. The music video is worth the watch; the self-deprecating display of millennial stereotypes is the added bit of humor needed to lighten the album.

“Spilling My Guts” doesn’t hold back. With lines like, “You said ‘that’s just what it feels like to disappoint everyone,’” it’s raw and lyrically potent. This is Lady Revel at their most vulnerable, stripping everything down to the emotional core. “Freckle Girl” is best described as warm and breezy. It captures the feeling of summer infatuation in a dreamy, swaying arrangement.

“1998” closes the album with the perfect blend of nostalgia and movement. Its throaty vocals and infectious groove leave a lasting impression. “My love for you will never fade” feels like a fitting final lyric for an album about emotional resilience.

Slow Burn is for fans of smart, emotionally rich indie pop — listeners who appreciate songs that can soundtrack both heartbreak and the mundane. Whether you’re crying on a solo drive, dancing in your kitchen or just needing a sonic space to belong, Lady Revel has you covered.

It’s fun and poppy, bright but shoegaze-y, snappy yet sincere. Lady Revel knows who they are, and Slow Burn shows they’re only getting better.